Chef Danna-Lee Berman was born in South Africa and grew up in a household where food was always central. After moving to Israel, she worked at Bar a Vin and Gan Hashikmim. Recently, she joined us as a guest chef for the “House Pot” lunch series at Cafe Asif.
“I grew up eating the food of Africans in South Africa. My nanny, Sanna, raised me like her own daughter. One of my all-time favorite dishes she made was pap & gravy — cornmeal porridge with meat sauce,” Danna-Lee shares. “The smell of that porridge will forever be the most grounding, comforting, and homey scent in the world.”
Berman’s culinary passion was also deeply inspired by her grandmother, Gaga. “Her food was the pinnacle of culinary art in my eyes. One of her festive dishes, which feels like the opposite of pap, always stood out to me. Pap is about simplicity, scarcity, culture, and roots, while Gaga’s brisket was sweet and indulgent, loaded with store-bought condiments. I would wait all year for Rosh Hashanah just to eat it. The brisket melted in your mouth, and its sweet sauce brings back memories of us gathered around the table.
Since then, my mother’s entire side of the family, including Gaga, with all the uncles, aunts, and cousins, has moved to Australia, and we’ve moved to Israel. I don’t remember the last time we all sat together, and I miss that more than anything. I decided to combine the two dishes — pap & gravy and my grandmother’s brisket — those dishes are the most homey to me.”
For the brisket:
¼ cup oil
3 white onions, cubed
2Kg (4.4lbs) beef brisket
2 cups + 1 tablespoon (500 ml) cola
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup (250ml) spicy ketchup
440ml (14.8oz) spicy peach chutney
1 can (410 grams/14 oz) chopped tomatoes
150 grams (5.3oz) plum or apricot jam (preferably with whole or large fruit pieces)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or 3 tablespoons soy sauce + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup powdered onion soup mix, for sprinkling over the entire piece of meat on all sides
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
For the porridge:
2L (8 cups) milk
2L (8 cups) chicken stock
1 rosemary sprig
2 sage leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1Kg (2.2lbs) white cornmeal
2 tablespoons salt
½ cup butter, cut into cubes
For the Salsa Verde:
1 bunch scallions
5 parsley stalks
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 bunch chard leaves/spinach
- Prepare the brisket: heat oil in a large and deep, oven-proof pot or Dutch oven over low-medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cola, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chutney, tomatoes, and jam. Pour the mixture into the pot with the onion, stir well, and remove from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).
- Coat the brisket with the dry onion soup mix and place it in the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the onion mixture on top, cover, and roast in the oven until tender, 4-6 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
- Remove the brisket from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Using a long knife, slice the meat against the grain into 1½ cm (½-inch) thick slices. Return the sliced meat to the pot.
- Prepare the porridge: heat a pot with the milk, chicken stock, herbs, and garlic over medium heat. Reduce to medium-low heat and slowly pour in the cornmeal, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season with salt.
- Gradually incorporate the butter, stirring continuously until the porridge has thickened and the cornmeal grains are soft and cooked, about 7-10 minutes. The texture should resemble mashed potatoes or soft polenta. Remove from the heat. The porridge will thicken as it cools. Meanwhile, gently reheat the sliced brisket on the stove.
- Prepare the salsa verde: finely chop all the ingredients, season with salt and lemon juice, and mix well.
- To serve: spoon ¾ cup of porridge onto each plate, then top with two slices of brisket. Drizzle ½ cup of the cooking liquid over the top and finish with 1½ tablespoons of salsa verde.
